Question 7

Question 7 – Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Comparison

Preliminary Coursework

In the preliminary task I used a sans serif font which looking at now I feel doesn’t stand out as much, especially with the colour being blue. It doesn’t have the same effect as white on black.

In my new magazine, the picture I have taken is on a black background, this makes my picture stand out much more, it looks more professional.

Free giveaways

Preliminary Coursework

Planning and preparation

Being honest, I feel that planning was my weakest point in the preliminary task. I left myself more open to failure because I didn’t plan enough. I feel that in the main task however I had a clear plan of what I was going to do. I understood from the preliminary task how important planning really is, I went into the college magazine without an idea really, I had to waste time thinking about what to do. However I didn’t have that problem in the main task. The fact that I had researched what kind of magazine I needed to produce to fit in to the kind of genre I was going for really helped me to understand what was needed. For all 3 tasks in the main coursework, I had set out how I wanted it to be laid out before I started.

Organisation of timeFor my main coursework, I tried to set myself

deadlines. I wanted to have completed a certain part of the magazine by a certain time. I think that this is important because it gives you something to work towards. Setting these targets made me challenge myself, I worked harder outside of college as well as in.

PhotographyWhat I have learnt from the preliminary task

leading up to the main coursework is that you need to have a good setting for your pictures. In the preliminary task I took my picture in the middle of the canteen with no background, no lighting. I literally just went in and took a picture of a random person. For my main task, I made sure that I put my model in front of a blank canvas, and had him well lighted on one side and dark on the other for full effect. I have learnt that it takes time to get the perfect shot and I feel that I did well in taking my pictures.

What have I learnt?In this process I have learnt about how audiences

are effected by the type of magazine they buy. From the research that I did I have realised how passionate people are about it. I have realised how ways in which a picture is taken can connote different things. In my case it was that my picture connoted rebellion without even trying to. I have learnt how to use the different programmes such as InDesign and Photoshop to a good standard. All in all I have learnt that time management is the key to success. If you don’t set yourself deadlines then you are not challenging yourself.